Federation Council (Fratanica)
Federation Council | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | Upper House of the National Diet |
| History | |
| Founded | October 6, 1941 |
| Preceded by | National Parliament |
New session started | January 1, 2021 |
| Leadership | |
Chairman of the Federation Council | Sara Jacquot, Liberal Unity Party since March 14, 2021 |
Opposition Coalition Leader | Ames Moulin, Fratanica Forward Party since June 22, 2020 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 62 |
Length of term | 6 years, 2 term limit |
| Elections | |
First election | March 6, 1942 |
Last election | March 10, 2017 |
| Constitution | |
| Constitution of Fratanica | |
The Federation Council is the upper house of the National Diet of Fratanica, which represents the 14 administrative provinces, as well as the capital city and two non-autonomous, overseas territories. There are 62 seats indirectly elected by provincial legislators, meant to represent the interests of these provinces. Each province, plus the self-autonomous city of Viras, may elect 4 representatives to the Federation Council. Members of the Federation Council serve 6-year terms, with a 2-term limit.
As the upper house, the Federation Council partakes in legislation involving provincial affairs or constitutional affairs. Legislation involving itself is also within the Federation Council's jurisdiction. A supermajority of 2/3 is required for each piece of legislation to pass, meaning that at least 22 votes are required for the passage of a bill.
History
Powers
The Federation Council's main purpose is to vote on constitutional amendments and legislation affecting provincial power. The representatives from each province often vote on legislation in groups, deferring to their provincial governments. However, each member can stray away from their province's stance on a piece of legislation, known as faithless representation. However, this is exceedingly rare because provincial legislatures can vote to remove a representative, and replace it with a new one.
Composition
Criticism
Critics claim that the Federation Council's lack of power in the legislative process damages the power of the various provinces in the country.